\n\tApple’s iPad is becoming a familiar feature of business life with organizations increasingly deciding to equip their staff with a tablet device. Always on hand to help, silicon.com’s Shelley Portlet tracked down the 10 most useful iPad accessories for businesses to help users get the most out of the iPad.
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\n\tFirst up is iPad Hut’s 5-in-1 iPad Camera Connection Kit, which allows the iPad to connect with a range of different devices including digital cameras, TVs and monitors.
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\n\tThe adaptor has five ports including a USB port, SD card port, microSD card port, 3.5mm DC port and mini USB port, as well as AV leads – allowing you to connect your tablet to other hardware or sideload documents and presentations from all those memory cards and USB sticks knocking around in your bag.
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\n\tPhoto: iPad Hut
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\n\tCaptions: Shelley Portet, silicon.com
\n\tThe Sir James iPad floor stand by Arktis can turn the iPad into a presentation aid for conferences and meetings.
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\n\tFor those using the iPad at trade fairs or exhibitions, the stand comes with a nifty barrier that can be used to prevent access to the home key, ensuring attendees using the iPad are only able to use the app intended.
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\n\tPhoto: Arktis
\n\tThe iPad wall mount by Vogel gives easy access to the tablet device with a click-and-release system that allows the iPad to be easily attached and removed.
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\n\tAs well as providing a neat place to keep a communal office iPad, when attached to the wall mount, the iPad can be fully rotated, making it a useful focal point for group collaboration.
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\n\tPhoto: Amazon
\n\tiPad Hut’s waterproof iPad case becomes 100 per cent waterproof when sealed, ideal for protecting the iPad from knocked over cups of coffee at heated board meetings – or pints during ‘off-site meetings’.
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\n\tFancy taking your work away with you on holiday? The case also allows the iPad to be used in the water so you can keep on top of your emails in the swimming pool.
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\n\tPhoto: iPad Hut
\n\tWhile winter may seem but a distant memory, the recollection of icy fingers forced out of the warm to operate touchscreens still haunts us.
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\n\tThankfully, the Isotoner SmarTouch Gloves pictured above have been designed to use on touchscreens so iPad-induced frostbite should become a thing of the past.
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\n\tPhoto: Firebox.com
\n\tThe HP Photosmart Wireless e-All-in-One Printer bypasses the need for the iPad to be connected to an office network in order to send documents for print – just email the documents to the printer’s email address and wait for the printouts.
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\n\tThe printer also features a 6.1cm LCD screen with TouchSmart frame.
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\n\tPhoto: Amazon
\n\tThe least expensive iPad comes with just 16GB of storage so adding an external hard drive might be a good option. The Seagate GoFlex Satellite wireless external hard drive adds 500GB or storage space which Seagate says will hold up to 300 movies. It can stream to as many as three iPads at a time.
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\n\tCredit: Seagate
\n\tThe Elgato Tivizen Mobile TV Tuner allows iPad users to watch TV on the go – handy for those who need to keep in touch with news and other programmes on the move or for making that commute slightly more bearable.
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\n\tThe tuner picks up Freeview signals and transmits them to the iPad using its own local wi-fi network and doesn’t require internet access to work. It also allows programmes to be paused and recorded.
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\n\tPhoto: Firebox.com
\n\tThe Macally CARUSB10 2 Port USB Car Charger shown above plugs into a car’s cigarette lighter jack and allows the iPad to be charged en route – useful for when your battery fails on the way to that all-important sales meeting.
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\n\tThe charger has two USB ports so you can charge your iPhone at the same time.
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\n\tPhoto: Amazon
\n\tThe Eagle AppsKey Pro Foldable Wireless Shortcut Keyboard also allows you to dodge the tricky task of typing on glass, and its ability to fold in half makes it ideal for those who need a pocket-sized peripheral for use on the move.
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\n\tWhat accessories have we missed? Let us know your favourite iPad add-on by posting a reader comment below.
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\n\tPhoto: Amazon
\n\tAnd No. 11 as a bonus. Apple’s iPad keyboard dock turns the iPad into a stand-in desktop as the full-size keyboard makes typing out long documents easier.
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\n\tThe dock also charges the iPad so it’s ready to be used on the move.
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\n\tPhoto: Donald Bell/CNET
My name is Sonja Thompson. I've worked for TechRepublic since October of 1999, starting with the enewsletter team, then with the Premium Products group (creating books and CDs), as well as programming some of the elements on the site. After leading the Tech News team on TR, I jumped at the opportunity to switch gears and try my hand at video editing, podcasts, and other forms of multimedia on the site. I'm currently the host of the Smartphones blog, plus I edit the TR Dojo video series. \ \ I graduated from the University of Louisville. Since then, I've also completed several technology related courses from SmartPlanet. My goal is to learn about the TR community, interact with members on the site, and hopefully encourage more people to participate - and more often.
